1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the splint art and more particularly to an improved soft splint which may be applied to a user's hand and/or hand and wrist for reduction of metacarpal flexion contractures and/or metacarpal and wrist flexion contractures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many applications it is desirable to reduce undesired hand and/or hand and wrist flexion contractures. It has been found, for example, that in many areas of treatment there is undesirable metacarpal and/or metacarpal and wrist flexion contractures which should be reduced and or prevented in order to allow the person suffering from such a disability to recover. In the past, comparatively rigid splints have been applied to the hand such as in the metacarpal area or to the hand and wrist to prevent metacarpal and/or metacarpal and wrist flexion contractures. It has been found that such metacarpal and/or metacarpal and wrist flexion contractures may occur after a head trauma, after cerebral vascular accidents, to persons suffering from cerebral palsy, after a person has come close to drowning, in certain post burn patients, after some hand surgeries, a person suffering from such diseases as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, or even just as a result of age. For purposes of explanation herein, it will be appreciated that metacarpal flexion contracture may be defined as the bending of the fingers from the metacarpophalangeal joint from an extended position towards the palm of the hand. Wrist flexion contractures are defined as bending of the wrist to move the hand towards the forearm. Both of these flexion contractures have a maximum range of approximately 90 degrees from the extended condition thereof.
The rigid splints as above identified and as heretofore utilized have had many disadvantages in that they did not provide an adjustability as to the amount of pressure that could be applied but, instead, provided only of course a rigid resistance to such contractures. Additionally, such rigid splints were often very uncomfortable to the user.
Additionally, it has been found that with the rigid splints thumb abduction could not be maintained while providing the desired benefits of the splint.
Therefore, there has long been a need for a soft hand splint for reducing and/or controlling hand and/or hand and wrist flexion contractures but which is not rigid, is comfortable to use, and in which the resistance thereof may be suitably varied as the user requires, and also that the splint maintains thumb abduction.